Heritage Along the Kyle

1. Kyle of Lochalsh to Strathcarron

The Kyle railway line passes through a landscape which has been lived in for thousands of years, especially along the coastal fringes. Some of the evidence of the past is there to be seen today, but much has been altered or destroyed.

In spring 2010 an ARCH class researched the heritage along the route of the line between Kyle of Lochalsh to Strathcarron. Using maps supplied by Highland Council Archaeology Unit as a base, where each known site, building or feature is marked by a purple dot, a selection of places are featured in this display. Some are directly on the line, but others are within view, sometimes fleetingly, or located near to the line.

This area was settled from the earliest period, probably from the Mesolithic era (c. 8500-4000BC), when people used the rich resources of the coastal area, and they continued to do so for millennia afterwards. The rail line created its own heritage – and a means for people to live in and explore the region.

Further information can be found in binders at Lochcarron Library, Kyle of Lochalsh Library, Plockton Library and at the Friends of the Kyle Line Museum on Kyle station, or on Highland Council’s Historic Environment Record website http://her.highland.gov.uk. The panels from the display are at the Friends of the Kyle Line Museum.